Indestructible
by rhapsodybree
Summary: JJ/Rossi/Henry. This will be a series, but each chapter may jump forward and backwards in time as my muse hits me. Some friendship, some romance and some family moments. Also contains traces of Emily/Hotch.
1. Christmas 2009

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

***************

Christmas, 2009:

Young Henry LaMontagne-Jareau was on a mission.

Even though he was only at the tender age of ten months old, he was quite the observant baby. He knew that the green and red decorations around him meant something, and that the happy people all around him were all celebrating something. He was more than happy to take part!

He loved being on the move, and just now he'd squirmed enough in his father's arms to be placed on the floor. He's going to explore!

Escaping his father's gaze, he begins to crawl.

Spotting his mother and favourite aunts sitting in the corner, he turns away. He loved them to bits – Aunty Pen always had smoochies and cuddles for him and Aunty Em always bounced him on her knees so he felt like he was flying (though she didn't seem to have much room on her lap anymore) – but he didn't want to be held at the moment.

Moving on, he crawls past two of his uncles - the funny ones! Uncle Derek always snatched him into his arms when he saw them, and he always felt he was engaging in a very serious conversation when sitting with Uncle Spence.

Crawling under a desk, he stopped as two feet stepped in front of him. Fearing he'd been caught, he looked up at his other uncle. Uncle Aaron didn't smile much, but he did give the best hugs.

As the feet moved, he giggled gleefully, he was free to roam some more.

Making his way over to the big green thing in the corner, he carefully picked his way over the various shiny bits and pieces scattered in his path, before discovering a box.

Happily crawling into his new toy, he looked around, before quickly crawling out. It was a bit too dark for him. Bad box!

Tiring, he made his way over to the closest leg he could find.

Feeling the strength of the lower leg he now gripped, and recognising the smell of this person, he struggled to pull himself up onto his feet. Unsteadily balancing, he pulled on this person's jeans.

He wanted up!

****************

David Rossi sighed as he looked around.

Ever since that case in Indianapolis all those years ago, he'd hated Christmas. Sure, they'd solved the case last year, but he still hadn't quite managed to embrace the Christmas spirit once again.

Jennifer Jareau, bless her, had made it her mission last Christmas for Rossi to put up a Christmas tree.

He'd managed to avoid her for most of the afternoon as she manned the establishment of the BAU office Christmas tree, but she'd come at him with a determined look on her face, the star intended for the top of the tree firmly in her grip.

Who was he to say no to a seven month pregnant lady?

Looking around at everyone, he identified his fellow team members.

Jennifer and Garcia were seated in a tight circle around Emily, no doubt gossiping about the pending birth.

Shifting his eyes, he spots Reid by the punch bowl, Morgan close by, no doubt plying Reid with several unhelpful suggestions how to spike the punch and highlighting the 'positive' outcomes.

Turning once again, he looks for their team leader. Finding him, he smirked. Aaron Hotchner looked like a man on a mission with that glass of water in his hand. It never ceased to amaze him what an attentive father and husband Hotch was.

Sweeping his eyes over the various other office staff, his eyes are drawn to the odd man out: Will LaMontagne Jr. Rossi wasn't sure what it was, but he didn't quite like the man. He was entirely too weak for his taste. Jennifer could have done better than that.

He's drawn out of his thoughts by a sharp tug on his pants. Looking down, he grinned at the chubby baby face looking up at him.

He couldn't stand the man, but at least he'd done one thing right.

Dropping down, he picks up the young child, resting him on his hip as Henry opens his mouth to babble nonsense.

Holding him close, he speaks softly to Henry. 'Hey little man. How did you get all the way over here? Who did you escape from?'

As if he understood every word Rossi was saying to him, Henry gave his favourite uncle a huge grin, before grabbing his tie and putting it in his mouth, happily gumming away.

David Rossi looked down at the sight of Henry happily chewing on his tie. Eh, he's got enough of them at home, he thought. He can afford for this one to be wrecked.

Feeling the most happy he's been in years, David Rossi moved Henry further up his hip as he made his way over to join his team.

Let Christmas begin!


	2. April 2009

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

***************

Standing with her sleeping nine week old her arms, JJ rides the elevator up to the BAU offices.

Agent Todd had asked for her assistance in accessing some of her older files which were lodged in a system that the new agent was having difficulty understanding.

She'd gladly answered the call for assistance, as this would also give her a chance to visit the team. She hadn't seen them in a while.

Arriving at the office, she's relieved of her baby as everyone puts up their hand for babysitting duty. Miraculously, Garcia had arrived just seconds after her and was currently trying to weasel her godson from Morgan's arms, but without any success.

Noting the absence of Hotch and Rossi, she asks where Agent Todd is. Emily points her in the direction of her old office.

Knowing she's leaving her child in the capable hands of the BAU team, she makes her way up the stairs.

But within ten minutes of his mother departing, nine week old Henry awakens and makes his displeasure known.

He'd been in Morgan's arms when he first started crying and squirming. The transfer to Garcia's arms does little to alleviate the squalling.

Looking at the red face of the crying child now in his arms, Reid looks scared. Emily takes pity on him, and takes him in her arms, but to no avail.

Henry is still crying.

Hotch's arrival and attempt at placating the baby fails, before Garcia tries again.

When David Rossi walks into the bullpen fifteen minutes later, eyes focused on the folder in front of him, his head snaps up when he hears crying.

Taking in the sight of Morgan with a squalling bundle in his arms, and at the team standing around him, he wonders what on earth is going on here?

Morgan notices the arrival of the last member of their team and makes his way over. 'Rossi, my man, your turn!'

Rossi is slightly bewildered as the red-faced Henry is transferred to his arms. Dropping his files onto a nearby desk as he accepts the crying baby.

Running his hand down his soft cheek, David cradles Henry in the crook of his arm, looking into his face. Henry stops crying immediately.

The team looks at him in wonder. 'How did you do that?' asked Reid in awe.

Rossi looks around nonchalantly. 'What can I say - it's the Rossi charm!'

All laugh as Rossi turns his attention back to Henry who is snuffling and burying himself further into Rossi's jacket.

Rossi gently rocks him as Henry's eyes slowly but surely shut as he reenters the land of slumber.

Moving quietly toward Garcia, he slowly transfers the baby into her waiting arms, but within seconds Henry is awake and crying again, unhappy that his place of comfort has been removed from him.

'Looks like the kid's yours for the next hour,' laughs Garcia as she hands Henry back to him - his crying stopping instantly again as he's returned to the warm, comfortable arms.

Rossi looks down at the child in his arms as he whimpers and fists his hand in his shirt. 'Looks like it,' he said softly.

Rossi takes baby Henry up with him to his office as the team heads back to their paperwork.

Sitting on his desk chair, and propping his feet up on his desk, Rossi rests Henry on his raised knees, talking quietly to him.

When Garcia drops in soon after with JJ's bag of Henry's essentials, she takes in the scene before her. Unable to stop the 'Aw' from leaving her mouth, she smiles and leaves.

Half an hour later finds Henry in serious need of a diaper change. With several nieces and nephews, he's quite the expert, though Morgan had a few choice words to say when he popped by.

Henry falls asleep soon after, nestled safe and sound in David Rossi's arms.

Mindful of the sleeping child on his chest, Rossi carefully removes his jacket and rolls up his sleeves. Turning his attention to the paperwork in front of him, he gets cracking.

*******************

JJ is finally finished with Agent Todd one and a half hours after she'd left her son in the capable hands of her team. Leaving her office, she goes searching for Henry.

When she enters the bullpen, she sees all agents, but no baby. Emily looks up at JJ's panicked face, and is quick to reassure her. 'Relax. Henry's okay.'

'Is he downstairs with Garcia?'

'No actually - he's upstairs with Rossi.'

'Rossi?'

'Your child decided that today would be a great day to throw a tantrum,' interjects Morgan. 'None of us could settle him until Mr Legendary Profiler himself walked in the door. Henry shut up like that,' he said, emphasising his point with a snap of his fingers.

Nodding her head in thanks, JJ trooped up the stairs to get her son.

Standing at the door into Rossi's office, she looks in.

Rossi is reading a file with Henry laying on his chest, head over his heartbeat, as Rossi has one hand firmly on his back. It was quite a sight.

Realising that he had a visitor, Rossi looks up. 'Hey.'

'Hey yourself. Thanks for looking after him. Sorry he was cranky.'

'Don't worry. He was an angel - apart from the lovely diaper he graced me with!' said Rossi in good humour.

JJ reached down for Henry in amusement. 'The great David Rossi changed a diaper. I'm impressed!'

Surrendering his charge, Rossi grinned. 'I'm a man of many talents m'dear!'

After collecting up all the baby paraphernalia, JJ left with a final 'thank you' to Dave, before heading home - just in time for Henry's afternoon feed - as Rossi gets back to work, already missing the little boy who had been his company for the last hour.


	3. Christmas 2009, part 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

I may have fudged some dates and ages, but bear with me.

*****************

JJ stood on the balcony looking down at the scene before her. Taking in the sight of a happy Henry playing with his father, she chokes back a sob.

Why couldn't everything in her life be okay?

'Hey.'

Turning her head, she notes the arrival of David Rossi as he leans down on the balcony next to her.

'You okay?'

Cursing the tears that have pooled in the edges of her eyes, she brushes them away angrily. 'I will be.'

'What's wrong?'

Hating that she looked weak, but feeling the need to speak to someone about what she'd been bottling up for months under her guise of 'Capable JJ', she whispered so softly that Rossi had to drop his head to catch it.

'Henry's deaf.'

Hearing no response, she looks up and braces herself for a look of pity. But instead, she finds herself looking into Rossi's shocked, but understanding and sympathetic, eyes.

'I found out for sure last month – but I've had suspicions since August – and then work got out of hand, and Will doesn't believe it, and so I only got the confirmation three weeks ago – he can't hear a thing, he's profoundly deaf – then that case came up and... what kind of a mother does that make me?'

Grasping JJ's hand, Rossi drew her attention to his face. 'Look at me Jennifer. You are not a bad mother. You're a fabulous mother. Henry is going to be absolutely fine.'

'But what do I do now? There's so many appointments the doctor's told me to organise, so many things I have to think about. Communication, technology, education... everything. It's just too much.'

'Hey honey, we're here for you. I'm here for you. Whatever you want to do – whatever decisions you make – I'll back you.'

JJ took a deep shuddering breath. Maybe things would get better?

Over the next two months, it is David Rossi who steps up to the plate. He didn't want to push Will out of the picture, but if that man wasn't going to do anything, he sure as hell wasn't going to let Jennifer face this alone.

He accompanied her to the doctor appointments, the specialist appointments, the audiology appointments, the speech therapy appointments. Whatever appointment there was – he was there.

He took the phone calls at random hours of the night from a stressed JJ as she worried about another decision she had to make for her son and his future.

And when she told the team about Henry's deafness, he stood there by her side in support.

**************

A friend of Rossi's had a deaf niece, and so one day in January, not long after Christmas, he took JJ to meet them.

She'd spent so many restless nights next to the sleeping Will wondering what to do for her child. Should she get a cochlear implant? A hearing aid? Learn sign language? She was wary of invasive surgery for her young child, but the doctors seemed particularly supportive of this method.

Standing on the doorstep to the Yarling household, JJ held Henry close as she prepared herself.

Smiling wanly at Rossi's assurance of 'you'll be fine', she takes a deep breath and kisses her son's head as Rossi pushes the doorbell.

Rowena Yarling was a perfectly 'normal', well-adapted teenager. She was happy, studying and had a great relationship with her hearing sister Lucia. She used sign language, and wore hearing aids sometimes.

Talking with Rowena's parents and listening to their journey, JJ decided that American Sign Language could be a path for Henry. Who was she to change her little boy and force him to try and hear? At the end of the day he was still deaf. He was going to need a language he could communicate in, and why not make it one that wouldn't be such a labour for him?

Rowena's stories about fellow students at school who didn't sign, but couldn't really talk and so were stuck in 'limbo land', and other students who had ditched their cochlear implants and were now trying to sign and find a place to belong, made her wonder. And when she heard Rowena's comments about how the really deaf kids who didn't sign and really struggled with speech and lip-reading had a pretty crap relationship with their parents because neither could understand each other, she felt shattered.

Would this happen to Henry?

The final deciding point for her was seeing Henry's face light up at the sight of signing. Her normally active child sat stock still in her lap and watched the hands flying in front of him. He'd even tried to mimic Rowena's actions at one point.

She would do this for him - she would go down the sign language path. 'It was going to be tough, it was going to be hard, but it was going to be worth it,' she vowed to herself.

When Rossi dropped off JJ at her place that night, he hoped like hell that Will would step up to the plate and support JJ in her decision. She was going to need all the support she could get.

************

ASL lessons began soon after. Rossi sourced a program that taught sign language in the home, and used his contacts to organise classes for the team. After all, they were family.

JJ had never really, truly appreciated her BAU family until then.

Emily and Hotch had a newborn, and sometimes a rambunctious five year old Jack Hotchner, but they still came to every class.

Reid got his hands on all the literature he could find on deafness, and was never shy about reeling off random facts.

Garcia, their resident technical genius, searched the net high and low looking for the best tools for learning ASL. There was only to be the best for her godson!

Morgan was Morgan, providing the light relief and humour when it was so desperately needed, and the seriousness when the time called for it.

And god bless David Rossi, her rock through it all.

By the time Henry turned one on 13 February 2010, he knew four signs: Mummy, milk, ball and bath.

By the end of March, JJ was confident that she'd made the right decision. The medical professionals may look down on her, but she knew this was right for Henry. She had a happy, bright child who was flourishing. What more could she ask for?

But unfortunately, this conviction came at the demise of her relationship with Will.

***************

Next Chapter: Will.


	4. April 2010

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**************

He'd left.

Will LaMontagne had crumbled and left.

As Jennifer Jareau stood in the kitchen, gazing down unseeingly at the counter before her, she shook her head in disbelief.

He'd left...

**************

Will LaMontagne Jr. had never been keen on the idea that his son was deaf.

Will was a normal new parent in the sense that he refused – or couldn't accept – the fact that his son was deaf. But unfortunately, he was worse than most technology-seeking-problem-solved parents in as such that he didn't want to do _anything_, or make any change. His son was fine and perfect - everything else would happen with time.

Sure, he'd learnt a sign or two to appease JJ, but he never used them when he was at home minding Henry, and freaked out when Henry made movements with his hand. What did the kid want from him?

Attempting to get away from it all, he'd been spending more and more time at work, until finally ... he'd left.

It had all come to a head two days earlier when the newly walking Henry had toddled into the kitchen and signed 'milk' to his father. Will had frozen up and looked down at the signing child in front of him. He couldn't do this.

Unable to understand what Henry wanted, scared of what would be needed of him in the future, and unable to cope with the decisions, needs and demands that came with raising a deaf child, he'd upped and left, fleeing back to New Orleans.

****************

He'd left, JJ told herself one last time, the reality hitting her. She was now a single mother.

As Henry came flying into the kitchen and wrapped himself around his mother's legs she blinked back tears. She had Henry, and that was all that mattered. Grinning as Henry signed 'up' she bent down to pick him up, hugging him hard and covering his face in kisses until he squirmed in resistance.

She could do this.


	5. Halloween 2014

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my own creations.

And now for something lighter methinks after those two very heavy chapters.

Enjoy.

**************

Halloween was coming, and with it came some very excited children ready for trick-or-treating come Friday night.

But on Tuesday, the BAU team receives a call out to a remote town in Kentucky. For the last two years on Halloween, the Sheriff has died. While this might be a joke, the way the bodies were found dismembered and distributed within a dozen or so jack-o'-lanterns was anything but.

The new Sheriff had received an ominous trick or treat bag – just like the two now deceased sheriffs before him – and worried that his days were numbered, had called in the BAU team.

The entire police department consisted of only three people – the sheriff and his two local deputies. The first sheriff who had died was replaced by an outsider. But when he died, one of the local deputies was promoted.

And so with a heavy heart and a furtive promise to both his current and previous wives to be back in time for Halloween for trick-or-treating with ten year old Jack, four year old Lexi and three year old Sax, Hotch ordered the team to Kentucky.

He's not the only one with orders. Garcia is hosting a Halloween shindig at Morgan's place, and Morgan's sisters, twin nephews and mother are in town. JJ has also had a few words with Rossi regarding five year old Henry's trick-or-treating.

Upon arriving in this tiny town, and with limited accommodation options, Hotch and Rossi share a room, whilst Morgan and Reid share another. JJ did not accompany them on this case, as she did very few away cases unless her services were vitally required, and due to budget constraints, Agent Prentiss' position had not been filled upon her departure from the team.

Sheriff Don Bradman greeted them with a firm handshake and a worried look. He'd cleared a tiny space in the corner of the station where they could work from. After introducing his two deputies – Benedict Browne, with his slight OCD tendencies, and the suave Damian Twickenham – he allows the team set up and start working.

Morgan established a connection with Garcia back at Quantico, where JJ has also set herself up ready to assist when the need arrives, as they get cracking.

After spending two days chasing down farmers, teenagers and outsiders, they are no closer to solving the case. Phone calls home that Thursday night weren't promising, as both Hotch and Rossi swore and prayed fitfully in their room that night that they'd get home in time.

On Friday morning, Sheriff Bradman goes missing. As Reid reads through each file and fact desperately once again, he struggles to remember a fact that he fears is on the edges of his mind, and vital to the case.

A throw away comment from Hotch about the sheriff's badge has him thinking at a mile an hour. There are numerous reports of the sheriff's badge being stolen dating years back. Deputy Browne had assured them that it was simply a rite of passage for their town's teenagers, but as he dates the thefts, Reid realised that the first date corresponded with the arrival of Deputy Damian Twickenham twelve years ago.

Flying through the papers in front of him, he finds what he is looking for: Deputy Damian Twickenham had been overlooked for sheriff twice. He'd also been the first on scene for both murders. This was a deputy with a grudge who was murdering the competition.

Racing on the back of this revelation, and with Garcia's technical help, the team arrives in time to prevent the first dismemberment of Sheriff Bradman. Taking in the crazed look of Twickenham, Bradman's sheriff badge skewed on his shirt, Hotch orders him to drop the axe. When negotiating fails and he raises his axe to swing, bullet holes riddle his body as Twickenham drops to the ground.

As he draws his last breath, he utters 'Sh ... sheriff T... Twi ... Sheriff Twickenham' as Don Bradman looks on in horror.

The team quickly wrap up the case, pack up, and get their plane in the air. They've got a place to be.

Arrival back at Quantico at 6pm saw a scramble for cars as everyone needed to get to the respective places they needed to be.

Hotch headed to his house with Rossi in tow to pick up JJ, Henry, Emily, Jack, Lexi and Sax.

Morgan drags Reid with him to head to his place, where he is certain that Garcia has gone all out with his sisters setting his place up for Halloween.

It was thought impossible, and even after Hotch had to spend time dressing his daughter who had refused to put on her costume until Daddy was here, they managed to all be present and accounted for by 7pm at Morgan's place ready for the trick-or-treat run.

The men were responsible for this, and so Hotch, Rossi, Morgan and an excited Reid decked out in a Frankenstein outfit head out with their charges, including Morgan's nephews Seth and Cade.

This leaves Emily, JJ, Garcia, Sarah, Desiree and Fran at the house to chat away and give out goodies to those who knock on the door!

When their respective men traipse back through the doors just under two hours later, Jack and Cade are bouncing off the walls, absolutely high on candy.

Henry is watching the world go by him from Rossi's shoulder, hand firmly on his candy bag. He's looking around owlishly, trying desperately to stay awake; as there was so much going on that he didn't want to miss!

Lexi is riding her Daddy's shoulders, a huge grin on her face, whilst Sax is in Reid's arms, happily pulling at the bits and pieces that made up Reid's elaborate costume.

Seth is on Morgan's hip chatting away furiously as his uncle tries to follow, and then just gives up.

Within two hours, all children are safely ensconced in their makeshift beds upstairs, as the adults' party continues on downstairs.

When a cry is heard from above soon after, all stop and listen.

Emily looks up from her perch on Hotch's lap – odds are that it will be one of theirs as they've got three.

Garcia returns from giving out treats at the door, stopping just short of Desiree with a raised eyebrow.

JJ looks up from her laughing conversation with Reid, meeting Rossi's eyes across the room, where he sits next to Morgan, opposite Emily and Hotch. Fran and Sarah share a couch close by.

All this happens in a second, and it is JJ who makes the move. Henry is crying.

She's back within minutes: 'Dave, he wants you to scare the monsters away.'

Rossi laughs and stands up. 'Monster killer to the rescue!' he laughs, as he heads upstairs.

Returning downstairs soon after, he rejoins the party which goes until the wee hours of the morning.

By 3am, Hotch and Emily are yawning and head upstairs to gather up their children, followed closely by JJ and Rossi.

Lexi is out like a light on Emily's shoulder, as Hotch carries the deadweight that is Jack. They'd roped in JJ to carry out Saxon, as Rossi coped with his own deadweight that was Henry.

Once all packed in, the families head to their respective homes to sleep.

The next morning is not a quiet one for any of them: children are up and running around, having delved into the candy stash their parents had neglected to hide the night before!


	6. August 2012

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

This also contains an invented case, so apologies if it doesn't quite meet the standard of _Criminal Minds, _or is profiled wrong.

*****************

Henry Jareau is spending the week with his grandparents in Pennsylvania, and so when a case comes up in Malibu, Agent Jennifer Jareau accompanies the BAU team there.

Six couples have died in the space of 18 months. The males were all older men, and the females were all upper class call girls, young and blonde. The latest two victims had been killed three days ago, and dumped in the same manner as the other five couples: the males dressed impeccably in designer suits, and the females stripped naked, both showing signs of assault. All victims were found poolside at a different hotel, tied together, placed carefully so they were positioned back to back. Witness statements placed the couples at that same hotel bar just hours earlier.

After two days in Malibu, the team has gathered enough information to generate a profile. They suggest there is not one, but two UnSubs, most likely connected by an event special to them both, involving an older man and younger blonde woman. A father that had an affair perhaps.

Two days later, as the case stalls, and they are no closer to finding their UnSubs, Hotch approves a trap to see if they can draw the UnSubs to them. From the witness statements, they'd deduced that the older men had come onto the women, flirting and chatting, before they left together. It wasn't sure where they went, but a witness had placed couple number three heading into the elevator.

Reid and Garcia had managed to find a geographical pattern between the hotels, and predicted the next most likely hotel for the UnSubs to strike. Banking on the fact that the UnSubs would be excited about the increased media coverage and thus would kill again sooner rather than later, they set up the trap for that night at Hotel Paradiso.

JJ would take on the young blonde call girl role, and to her relief the 'older man' will be David Rossi.

Agent Jareau is decked out in a cobalt blue v-neck short dress with short sleeves, accompanied by a set of high heels. Her hair is styled, and tasteful makeup applied. Agent Rossi opts for blank pants and a black long sleeve shirt buttoned shirt, top two unbuttoned.

By 9pm that night Morgan was situated in the bar, Reid was situated in the hotel hall, and Hotch was in the tech van watching the security cameras. Undercover police officers were placed here and there to provide assistance if required.

9pm that night also finds Rossi is seated at the bar with a scotch in hand as JJ enters the room. Sultry look on her face, she saunters over to the bar, hips swaying from side to side.

Leaning over the bar, she catches the barman's attention and orders a white wine spritzer. Keeping in character, Rossi puts her drink on his tab and gives her an appreciative look-over from head to toe.

Pretending to giggle and admonish him for his behaviour, JJ shifts in Rossi's direction as he turns in his stool chair.

As JJ steps in closer to Rossi's body, continuing a stream of pointless conversation, Rossi's hands start to wander. Running his hands down her back, he lets them slip as low as he dares. JJ laughs and rests her hands on his shoulders, stepping in between his legs. This allows Rossi's hands to drop even lower and cover her ass, pulling her fully flush against his body.

JJ picks up Rossi's scotch and is giving him a sip when they both feel the vibration from Rossi's pocket.

JJ and Rossi are without earpieces, as they cannot risk them being seen, but Rossi has a cell phone in his pocket that has been programmed to vibrate when Hotch has identified a potential suspect.

As JJ puts the scotch on the bar again, she grins at the man in front of her. 'Is that your phone or are you just happy to see me?'

Rossi groans as he kisses a sensitive spot under her ear. 'That was pathetic,' he whispered.

'I couldn't help myself!'

When a man approaches them soon after, he leers at JJ and makes a comment to Rossi about sharing her. Flipping JJ back against him, he pulls her close. 'Sorry, mate. She's mine. Find your own.'

As the man leaves, Rossi leans down to whisper in her ear 'Not him.'

Nodding imperceptibly, JJ turns back around to play with the collar of Rossi's shirt again.

Feeling the vibration of Rossi's phone once again, and the sudden tight grip of his hands on her, JJ ups the stakes. Giggling, she leans down to kiss Rossi, her dress riding up – not quite enough to flash her knickers, but enough for the UnSub to see Rossi's possessive hands on her backside.

'Quite a show you're giving off there lovey,' was the smooth introduction from a slightly creepy, but fairly handsome, man. 'She yours?'

Rossi smirked. 'In a manner of speaking.'

'Ah, so not the wife.'

'Not the wife,' he agreed as JJ stood beside him, plastic grin plastered on her face as she runs her hand through Rossi's hair.

'Let you on in a little secret, room 321 is what you need,' said the UnSub. 'Big screen tvs, mirrors in strategic places, and best of all a discrete concierge. What more could you ask for mate?'

'Where do I sign up?' said Rossi with a leer at the woman next to him.

'Just head on upstairs. It's my gift to you!' he said with a parting wink.

It's time to get this show on the road.

Waiting a few minutes before standing up from his chair, Rossi pulls JJ toward him, as she wraps herself around his body like a giddy schoolgirl. Leaving the bar, and passing Reid in the hall with a slight nod, they head down the hall to the elevator.

Stepping in, the elevator man asked which level they would like. JJ has her arms wound around Rossi's neck as he hands ride low on her back. 'Whichever floor Room 321 is on, that's what we want. Isn't that right bunny?'

'Oh yes kitten!'

Their kiss is interrupted by the elevator man drawing a gun and pressing the parking level button. 'Don't do anything funny. You're coming with me.'

Cursing inwardly, Rossi pushes JJ behind him, as he turned to what was clearly one of their UnSubs. They hadn't seen this coming, and damnit he was unarmed.

When they hit the parking level and the lift door opens, the elevator man keeps his eye on his planned victims as his calls for his partner. 'Yo Tay.'

Hearing no response, he turned his head and is greeted by the sight of Hotch, Morgan, Reid and a dozen other officers with their guns levelled on him.

Spotting his partner in cuffs, he doesn't know what to do. Pointing his gun in random directions, he freaks out when he hears Hotch's voice. 'Put down the gun. I don't want to shoot you.'

Dropping the gun, he tries to close the elevator but is shocked when Rossi steps forward to grab his arms, preventing any further movement. Spotting the blonde lady pick up his discarded gun and point it in his direction, Clarke de la Luca hung his head in defeat.

JJ stands in her killer high heels in the parking garage, waiting for the team to finish up. Finishing his conversation with Hotch, Rossi makes his way over to JJ, running a hand up her arm. 'Ready?'

'Yep. Let's go. The faster I get out of these shoes the better!' Laughing out loud, Rossi starts the car as they head back to the station.

It is revealed that the UnSubs are half brothers: Clarke de la Luca hated his father for not acknowledging his existence, and Taylor Gibbons hated that same man for leaving his mother for a younger, blonde woman.

Flying back home on the plane that night, Rossi takes a seat next to JJ, as everyone immerses themselves in their various activities: Hotch talking to his family, Morgan eyes closed as he listens to his music, and Reid with his nose in a book.

Turning her face to him with a grin, JJ says 'Don't you ever call me bunny again. I felt like I had the IQ level of a five year old.'

'Whatever you say kitten!' was his response as he leaned back on his chair, anticipating the punch that came soon after from the feiry woman seated next to him.


	7. Thanksgiving 2014

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

*********************

Sipping his second coffee of the morning, lamenting that it is entirely too early to be doing something on a Sunday morning, David Rossi yawns as he stands in the airport lounge. Jennifer Jareau is checking her bag and ticket for the nth time as Henry stands nervously by.

When the loudspeaker announced the New Orleans flight, Rossi signalled as such to Henry, and him up into his arms to bid him farewell, before pulling JJ close for a quick, deep kiss. 'Safe trip. I'll see you tonight.'

Taking Henry by the hand, JJ picked up the bags, presented her tickets and began the walk to the plane. Waving as they disappeared, Rossi turned and left. This was going to be interesting.

Will LaMontagne had asked if six year old Henry could spend the week with him for Thanksgiving. JJ had agreed and so was flying out this morning with Henry, and flying back tonight once Henry was settled in. Will would fly back with Henry next Sunday.

As Rossi made his way to his car, he remembered Henry's sense of trepidation about spending a week with his father. He'd actually gone out a brought him an iPhone so that Henry could call him whenever he wanted.

Arriving at their family home, he sincerely hoped that Henry would be okay.

*********************

The next day found a cranky JJ pacing Rossi's office.

'Oh come on, I'm free to go on an away case, and of all the times for such a case to pop up, I'm going to be stuck here at an 'unmissable' seminar on teamwork?!'

'Wasn't exactly how I'd planned to spend our kid free week either honey.'

Sighing in defeat, JJ drops onto the couch. 'You going to be home for Thanksgiving?'

'I hope so babe.'

But unfortunately, come Thursday, the team is still stuck in Mississippi. They know who their UnSub is, but there is no evidence linking him to the crimes. Added to the fact that the UnSub is the son of a very wealthy man and has an army of lawyers at his disposal, they are hitting dead ends constantly. Finally they catch a break and storm the Julian Thanksgiving dinner to arrest Marcus R. Julian III.

Flying home on the night of Thanksgiving was impossible, and so they are scheduled for a 7am take off the next morning. Well used to hastily cancelled and rescheduled dinners Garcia puts off the annual team Thanksgiving dinner to Friday night, so that everyone can attend.

And incidentally Henry Jareau was one of the attendees.

Upon arriving in New Orleans, Henry and his mother were picked up by Will. Will's signing vocab is very limited, but when Henry arrived he tries hard to sign with him. When his mother leaves on the flight that night, Henry gives her a big hug, and thinks that maybe this week won't be too bad.

But as the days go by, so too does Will's enthusiasm for signing and making sure that Henry knows what is happening. Will's girlfriend Celeste tries, but it's not the same.

When the house is invaded by relatives and friends on Wednesday, his newfound aunties and uncles weren't the same as Uncle Aaron, Aunty Em, Uncle Derek, Uncle Spence and Aunt Penny. And his cousins weren't Jack, Lexi or Sax. Sure they were fun to play with, but he couldn't communicate with them.

His father would take him around to meet all these different people, slowly and painfully fingerspelling names of the faces that meant nothing to him. When Celeste found him playing by himself in a corner later that afternoon, she took him under wing, and so he got through the night. But the next morning, when he went to Celeste's family party, he was taunted by the kids there.

Returning back to Will's place later that afternoon young Henry Jareau burst into tears as it became too much for him. He wanted to go home.

Signing through his tears to his father and Celeste, he soon realises that they can't understand a word he was saying. Looking down at his sobbing son, a desperate Will gets JJ on the phone. Pleasantries aside, JJ tells him to tell Henry to fetch his phone.

'He has a phone?'

'Yes, he does. Now get it, and get him to call me.'

Will gestures 'phone' to Henry, and Henry nods, tears still running down his cheeks, as he scrambles upstairs, carefully unplugging his iPhone from the charger and bringing it downstairs.

Propping it up at the right angle, Henry wipes the tears from his face and phones his mother, carefully pressing each button - just like Dave had showed him.

Within seconds a bemused Will is standing off to the side as he watches JJ's and Henry's hands flying as they communicate via video call. But the one thing he does get the drift of is that Henry doesn't want to stay. JJ is trying to reason with him, but Henry is signing no-no-no over and over again.

Finally, JJ finishes the call. 'Let me talk to Daddy. Okay?'

Henry nods, sobs, and runs out of the room with his phone.

Will is on the phone with JJ within minutes as she updates him, but as she does so, Henry is video calling Dave.

Dave was in the Mississippi office when his phone did his video call tune. This could only mean one thing. Excusing himself, he props up the phone in a far corner of the room to take the call. Henry's signs come flying out fast and furious as he vents his frustrations at not being able to talk to anyone - not being able to understand anyone.

Henry knows that tonight will be an even bigger shindig – being Thanksgiving and all – and he dreads the people. And the rest of the weekend will be people, people and more people. He wants to go home NOW.

Rossi manages to establish some semblance of control over Henry, before signing that he'll talk to his mother. Henry nods and hangs up, gripping his iPhone in a death grip. Rossi then calls JJ, who is still on the phone with Will, and is jumping between conversations as she tries to decide what to do for her distraught son.

Henry needs to know his father and his family, but this week looked like too much at once. There were too many people and no understanding for him. But she couldn't get a flight out to New Orleans, not on today of all days.

Rossi offers a compromise: tell Henry to stay for Will's Thanksgiving party that night, and Rossi will drive over from Mississippi and pick him up after. When JJ offers this suggestion to Will, he feels trapped. What can he say? He can't even sign enough to tell his kid about the change of plans! Consenting, he hangs up the phone.

JJ calls back Henry to explain the plan. Henry is ecstatic, nodding furiously when his mother told him to behave for his father. Phone call finished, Henry called Dave next, just to make sure. 'You come and get me tonight?'

'11pm. I'll be there,' promised Rossi.

Ending the call, he speaks with Hotch. With the UnSub soon to be arrested, by 8pm Rossi has begun his trek.

Henry was good to his word, behaving and doing his best to smile at all the new people he met that night at the party, but always keeping an eye on the clock. He needed the little hand to be on 11, and the big hand on the 12. Then Dave would come and get him.

At 11pm on the dot, Rossi parks on Will's street. Stepping in the door, the party is in full swing as he looks for his little man.

What he sees pulls on his heart strings. Someone was trying to talk with Henry, but all he can do is nod his head. Henry doesn't understand a word they were saying. Sensing that Dave has arrived, Henry sprints across the room, jumping into Dave's waiting arms. Picking Henry up, Dave pulls him close as he signs with him.

'Where's Daddy?' asks Rossi eventually.

Henry points, and they make their way over, Henry on Dave's hip.

'Will.'

'David.'

Within the hour, Dave has everything of Henrys, has done the compulsory toilet break - twice - and is ready to leave. Henry was asleep within half an hour, and by 3:30am sound asleep in Rossi's bed in Mississippi.

At 6am, mere hours later, Rossi needs to drag Henry out of bed to head down to breakfast and checkout ready for their 7am flight.

Standing in the airport waiting lounge, Henry stands tiredly with his arm wrapped securely around Dave's leg as he leans against him, waiting for the plane.

After the plane takes off and is cruising, Henry makes his way over to Spencer Reid. It's time they had a chat!

Hotch watches in amusement as Reid and Henry argue about something. Clearly young Jareau could rile up the young profiler just like anyone else on the team!

Finishing his conversation with Reid, he moves onto Uncle Aaron. After his uncle solemnly swears that his best friend Saxon will be at the Thanksgiving dinner that night, Henry moves onto Uncle Derek, who is seated with his eyes closed, iPod plugged in.

Sneaking forward, Henry tries not to giggle as he reaches for the white cord of Uncle Derek's iPod - ready to pull. But Uncle Derek is quicker - quickly moving and entrapping Henry in his arms, fake growling as Henry giggles. They share a 'manly-bonding' moment before Henry suddenly yawns. Morgan laughs. 'Sleep?' he signs.

Henry nods sleepily, feeling safe enough to sleep. He won't miss anything.

'Where?'

Henry yawns again and points at David. Carefully carrying his bundle, Morgan stands up and heads toward where David sits by the window.

'Dave,' whispers Morgan, then kicks himself. The kid's deaf!

Rossi snaps out of his thoughts, turning from the window. He's greeted with the sight of his 'son' rubbing his eyes and yawning, before reaching out with his little arms to be held. Without question, Rossi takes the weight, rearranging Henry in his lap as he sleeps.

The team arrives home less than twenty minutes later, and is greeted by the sight of the other half of their team waiting for them.

Hotch is bombarded by three little bodies as Rossi steps off the plane with the sleeping Henry on his shoulder. JJ steps forward at this adorable sight, and rests a hand on her son's back as she leans into kiss Dave. 'Thank you.'

Thanksgiving dinner that night is a riotous affair - well enjoyed by one and all! Never mind it was a day late!


	8. January 2015

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**Author's Note:**

My other story 'The Simple Life' in the Emily/Hotch category also contains some JJ/Rossi moments for those interested.

*************

**January 2015:**

Opportunities to get together outside work time were few and far between, so Garcia had declared that tonight they were all going to a Chinese restaurant. She hadn't seen her niece and nephews in far too long, and deemed that this would be the perfect time for her to do so!

Morgan and Reid were the first two to arrive that night. Taking in the sight of the large table, they slip into seats next to each other on the far side as they wait for more guests to arrive, Reid already picking up the menu and memorising each item.

Garcia arrived next and purposely plonks herself down one chair away from Reid. She would be sitting between her godsons tonight! As she and Morgan poke fun at their resident little genius, the Hotchner family arrives.

Five year old Lexi firmly grips her mother's hand as three and a half year old Saxon sprints through the door and rounds the corner, shouting 'Hello!' as he stops and throws his hands in the air. When his father places his hands on his shoulder's and says 'Ssh', he struggles out of his grip and makes his way over to the seat that Garcia is 'dusting' off for him on her left.

Saxon immediately begins talking at a mile a minute as Hotch seats himself next to his son and Lexi stakes her claim on the chair between her Mummy and Daddy.

JJ and six year old Henry arrive soon after. Henry looks momentarily worried about where he will sit until Garcia laughingly crooks her finger and points to the seat between her and Reid: 'You're sitting here boy!' As Henry sprints around the table, poking Lexi in the side and exchanging a high five with Saxon before taking his seat, his mother seats herself with a little more grace next to Emily!

Henry, Saxon and Lexi are signing away at a mile a minute as Lexi complains about Henry's poking and Saxon gangs up on her with Henry. But all that is resolved when the prawn crackers arrive and the kids dig in.

Garcia prevents a mini food fight from erupting between the two 'gentleman' on either side of her, as they all await the arrival of their last team member.

Rossi had a meeting with his editor -a meeting that had ran over time - and of course it was his bad luck that the skies open and pouring rain drops down as he arrives at the restaurant, twenty minutes late.

Stepping through the door, he asks the front for the BAU table. He is guided around a wall to the very sight of his laughing – and very loud! – extended family.

Shrugging out of his wet coat, he commences his greetings. He ruffles Lexi and Sax's hair, kisses Henry's head (and answers the question as to why his hair was wet), slapped the men on the shoulder and smiled at the ladies, before finally giving JJ a quick kiss as he took his seat next to her.

Hotch set about writing down their order with the great assistance of Reid as Emily and Morgan prepared to run next door to grab the drinks order. Lexi shifted into her mum's chair to talk with Aunty JJ at her mother's departure, and was happy to remain seated there, so that when Emily returned she took Lexi's seat next to her husband.

When the food arrived, Reid watched bemusedly as everyone snapped into parental mode to prevent the upending of dishes, burning of children and other likely catastrophes. Young Saxon was quite the trouble maker, but discovered quickly that his father did have eyes all around his head! Henry was more subtle in his approach; managing to gain access to anything he wanted simply by asking his Uncle Spence who was most oblivious and obliging!

By the time Morgan had finished the leftovers, the dishes had been cleared, drinks had been consumed and payment for the dinner haggled out, it was 9:30pm and time to go.

Arising from the table, both Hotch and Rossi made a grab for their boys, swinging them up into their arms as they sprinted past them on their way to the door.

As both complained loudly and visually that Lexi didn't have to be held, JJ advised them both that was because Lexi wasn't running around stupidly. As further attempts to get out of their fathers' arms failed, Saxon and Henry started a tennis game, hitting an invisible ball from one to the other as Hotch and Rossi rolled their eyes at each other.

After saying their lengthy farewells in the car park, everyone made their way to their respective cars and headed home.

Reid was still in awe of his fellow teammates and their abilities to handle three children – particularly two very active boys – as he slipped into the passenger seat of Morgan's car.

He wasn't quite sure that this was a path he would be adequately qualified for at the moment!


	9. New Years Eve 2009

Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my own creations.

*****************

**New Years Eve, 2009:**

As David Rossi opened the door at 4pm to the first of the BAU team arrivals, he wondered how on earth he'd ended up hosting the New Years Eve shindig. Welcoming Morgan and Garcia into his home, he led them into the lounge room.

As Garcia gushed about his house, and Morgan expressed his appreciation, he left to answer the door once again to let Reid in.

When the heavily pregnant Emily and Hotch arrived next the party was getting started. That is until Emily's scream reverberated throughout the house. Hotch had actually dropped the drink he was holding and moved faster than Rossi had ever seen him before as he raced inside.

Apparently Emily had been battling discomfort all day, but had written it off as Braxton Hicks, knowing that she wasn't due for another twelve days. Looking at how Emily was currently gripping her husband, Rossi had strong suspicions that perhaps this was for real!

Hotch snapped into the team leader persona that they all knew so well as Garcia jumped up and down and babbled happily, thrilled at the prospect that she would be an aunty again. As Rossi pulled out his phone to call the still absent JJ, Hotch put Morgan on driving duty, and ordered Garcia and Reid to get Emily's hospital bag from their place.

Will was dropping off JJ and Henry at Rossi's place, before heading off to work for the night. So when Rossi's call came through, they were fifteen minutes out. Rossi promises to wait and give JJ and Henry a lift to the hospital when they arrived, as everyone else headed for their cars and respective duties.

Shaking his head as he looked around at his party preparations – not that he had actually personally prepared it! – Rossi grinned as he realised that nothing was ever going to go smoothly for the BAU team. Gathering up some food, he waited for the arrival of JJ and co.

When Will's car pulled up into his driveway, Rossi shrugged on his jacket, locked the door, unlocked his car and made his way over to Will's car. When JJ came dashing at him he looked at her bemusedly. When she uttered 'toilet', he laughed and handed her his keys as she streaked past him.

Turning back to the car, he nods to Will who has his son in his arms. Passing Rossi the baby, Will silently unstraps the car seat and inserts it into Rossi's car with practiced ease, before retrieving his giggling son from Rossi's arms and strapping him in.

When JJ joins them both, she attempts to distil the uncomfortable silence between them all by waving farewell to Will, before he drives off.

Nudging her in his car's direction, Rossi grins. 'Let's get to the hospital shall we?'

*****************

Parking at the hospital, they bump into Garcia and Reid in the car park. Entering the waiting room to join Morgan, and after Garcia has ordered a nurse to take in Emily's hospital bag, they all sit down, feeling fairly jovial as they prepare to wait out the arrival of baby Hotchner.

Henry is a great source of amusement for them all. Crawling between his Aunt Penny and Uncle Derek, he giggles out loud as each person throws him up in the air upon arrival before sending him back in the other direction.

After he tires of this game of this game, Henry stands between Rossi's legs, braces his arms on his knees and bounces happily on his feet, surveying all before him.

Reid also has his turn at minding the baby, as Henry sat on his lap and alternated between playing with his toes and the toy ball in his lap. But Reid was quick to relinquish his bundle when an old lady seated next to him commented how cute his son was. Hastily correcting her, he passed Henry to his mother with a declaration of 'It's not mine!'

JJ laughed at Reid's horrified face as she dug into her bag for Henry's food. Giving into Garcia's requests – more like begs! – to feed her godson, JJ handed Garcia Henry, the container of pureed pumpkin and sweet potato and a spoon. Popping on Henry's bib, she asked if Garcia wanted one too. She laughingly said no, but after ten minutes of feeding Henry, Garcia had her fair share of orange guck on her shirt.

When Rossi unveiled the goodies that he'd brought with him from home, Morgan praised the stars, and the team digged in.

*****************

By 9pm Henry was starting to get cranky, and so JJ asked a nurse if she could get her bottle heated up to feed her ten month old son. Holding her son close to her chest, JJ fed Henry who fell asleep soon after. Dropping the bottle into her bag, she searches for Henry's blanket.

JJ realised that she must have left it in the car, but before she can start worrying, Rossi hands her his jacket. Wrapping up Henry firmly, JJ smiles her thanks.

As Garcia plays with a computer program on her PDA that that warps the faces of adults into what their baby might look like in an attempt to suss out what Emily and Hotch's baby might look like, and as Morgan and Reid look over her shoulder and criticise her efforts, JJ and Rossi exchange a look when a bed pan is dropped on the ground nearby with a loud clatter and Henry sleeps on oblivious.

When JJ stands up to go to the toilet soon after, she places her sleeping son in Rossi's arms. Perhaps it was because they shared the secret about Henry's deafness, or maybe just perhaps because he was seated the closest, but she knew that it was because she trusted that Rossi's arms were the safest place that her son could be at the moment.

Willingly accepting Henry, Rossi positioned him on his lap so he was seated semi-upright, back against his chest. Gently crossing his arms over the small body, he relaxed back in his chair as Henry's head rested onto one of his arms and he continued to sleep.

*****************

Two hours later, just after twelve, the room erupted in cheers when a nurse announced that baby Hotchner had made its arrival – a baby girl. Hotch came out to see them all soon after with a huge grin on his face.

Alexandra Saoirse Hotchner was born at twenty one seconds past midnight, the first Virginian baby born in the year 2010.

After everyone scrambled into the room just after one am to have a quick peek at Lexi (as she has already been nicknamed) and congratulate Emily and Hotch, the BAU team left the new parents to recover and headed home, wide grins on all their faces.

They returned to the hospital en masse just hours later that morning with a pile of presents, balloons and flowers. Hayley agreed to bring Jack by later that morning, and JJ and Rossi were left gobsmacked when they were asked to be Lexi's godparents.

All in all, it was a most interesting start to what would be a most interesting year.


	10. January 2013

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

This chapter came to me when re-watching the Season 2, Episode 7 'North Mammon' where we see a photo of JJ from her high school days, standing with her arms around her two fellow soccer playing friends.

*******************

Walking down the Main Street holding her son's hand, JJ looked around at everything. It was coming up fifteen years since she'd left East Allegheny and nothing had changed. The shops were all the same, she was passing the same people in the street and even the soccer field on which she'd played so many games still had the fading paint on the scoreboard.

Stepping into the General Store, she looked toward the counter where Old Man Jeffrey was still manning the till. He'd been creaking with age when she'd left, and it was remarkable that he was still standing.

Letting Henry roam the store with a warning to keep his hands to himself, JJ collected up a few things that her mother needed. Her shopping is interrupted by an incredulous voice. 'Jennifer Jareau?'

Turning to the voice, she pulled the newcomer into a hug. 'Antonia Kaufman as I live and breathe. You still live here Toni?!'

The brunette shrugged her shoulders as she explained. 'Sheridan got married and moved away. Raymond died in a car crash soon after you left. So I'm the only one left to continue Kaufman family tradition aren't I?'

'So you're working as an accountant? You always were good at numbers,' said JJ.

'How about yourself?' asked Toni. 'What have you done since you busted out of this place?'

'I'm working at the FBI in the Behavioural Analysis Unit,' laughing lightly at Toni's bemused expression. 'What in the devil do you do there?'

'Well, I ...' But before any further explanation can be offered, Henry has made his way back to his mother and pulled on her pant leg.

Toni sees the little blonde haired child and goes all gooey. 'Aw. Is this your kid Jen? What's your name sweetheart?' asked Toni, bending down to his level.

Henry looked up at his mother enquiringly as JJ explains to Toni that Henry is deaf. Well used to the pitying reaction, JJ is pleasantly shocked to see surprise cross Toni's face, before she turns back to her son, concentration evident on her face. Biting the inside of her mouth, Toni waved her hand in greeting to Henry. Pointing her finger at JJ, Toni then pointed at herself and gestured her hand backward, before pointing to the ground.

Ever intuitive, Henry signed to his mother. 'You and her were here together some time ago?'

Talking and signing at the same time, JJ answers Henry's question. 'Yes that's right. Toni and I grew up together. We played soccer together. You know the photo at home with Mummy in the blue shirts. Well this is Antonia – she's the one on the left.'

'What about the other one?' asked Henry, looking serious.

Slightly ashamed that she had no idea what her high school best friends have been up to since she left, JJ turned to Toni. 'Where's Pheebs these days?'

'You won't believe it but Phoebe Ballantyne we all know and love is now married with four kids.'

Jaw dropping, JJ couldn't believe it. 'Seriously? Our party up, party down girl got herself tied down?!'

Nodding with a grin Toni added. 'It gets better. She married Walter Tovey.'

'Big Wally's kid? Mr Geek himself?' asked JJ in disbelief.

'Yep. Though he turned out okay,' said Toni with a wink. 'They live out on the Tovey farm. Big Wally hasn't been the same since his heart attack a couple of year back, so they're out there.'

Fed up with adults talking above him, Henry tapped his mother's side and asked if he could have a candy bar. 'Nuh uh. Granny's got dinner cooking, so we don't want to spoil that,' said his mother. Crossing his arms over his chest, Henry stood next to JJ, cranky face firmly on.

Turning back to Toni, JJ excused herself. 'I need to get home quick because Mum needs a few things. But we really should catch up for dinner one night.'

Nodding enthusiastically, Toni agreed. 'How long you here for?'

'Until Sunday.'

'I'll give Phoebe a call and see if we can't organise something for Thursday or Friday night,' suggested Toni.

'You're on,' agreed JJ, giving Toni a hug before grabbing the last thing she needed, sorted out the bill at the counter, rounded up Henry and headed back to her parents' place.

Ushering Henry in the front door, JJ found it hard to believe that very little had changed since she'd gone. She was thankful more than ever she'd gotten out.

*******************

That Friday night found JJ pulling on her jeans, shirt and boots s she prepared for an outing with her two long lost best friends. Kissing Henry good bye, and warning her mother that he didn't need any more sugar, JJ headed out to town in her father's pickup truck.

Entering the pub, JJ grabs a beer before she heads toward where Toni is currently nursing a beer of her own in the corner. They make small talk until the third member of their party arrives through the door. Toni grins as she reaches out an arm. 'Jen, meet Phoebe Tovey nee Ballantyne. One time party girl, and now a flustered mother of four.'

Lightly slapping Toni on her shoulder, Phoebe leans forward to give Jen a hug and kiss. 'Good to see you Blondie.'

What ensues is a dinner full of memories, much laughter and much drinking. When her phone rings, JJ is laughing out loud as she takes the call. 'I take it that your dinner is going well?' said a deep baritone voice amusedly.

'Hey Dave,' said JJ warmly. 'Scuse me a second girls.'

Leaving the table, JJ moves aside a little as she continues her conversation, arms crossed over her body as she continues to laugh into the phone. When she returns to the table ten minutes later, both Phoebe and Toni pounced. 'So is this your mystery man?'

Flushing, JJ tried her best to avoid this topic of conversation. 'That was David Rossi. He was just calling...'

'Just calling hey?' said Toni suggestively.

'He asked about Henry too,' said JJ defensively.

'Oh even better,' responded Phoebe, slapping the table. 'This man likes your kid. What are you waiting for girly?'

'How about we talk about something else,' said JJ trying to distract her friends. 'Pheebs. How old are your kids?'

'Fleur's twelve, Tora's ten, Ewan's six and baby Leila is just a month short of two years old,' said Phoebe. 'But the distraction isn't going to work my dear. Just who is this Dave?'

As both Phoebe and Toni leaned forward in sync, JJ gave up with a sigh and proceeded to regale them both about her history and relationship with David Rossi. Needless to say, their 'catch up' that night went well into the early hours of the morning as all shared stories, men and a fair few drinks.


	11. July 2016

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **The death of Michael Jackson inspired this fic.

**************

**July 2016:**

The first time that Henry Jareau showed any interest in wanting to hear was at seven years of age when his best friend Saxon Hotchner offered him the ear plugs of the iPod that he'd 'acquired' from his older brother.

Jennifer Jareau had taken Henry to an audiologist before to have him fitted for hearing aids, but Henry couldn't stand the things and would rip them out of his ears when she put them on him. When he did consent to wear them, she always had to check that they were actually _on_, and more often than not, they weren't.

The most fun of all was when Henry decided to pull his hearing aids apart and place each little piece in a different part of the house. At one point he'd actually flushed his hearing aids down the toilet and stood sombrely next to it as the water whirl-pooled away. 'Bye bye.'

Nothing she said could convince him to wear them, and the only way she could stop him from pulling them apart is if she said he didn't have to wear them. Even when Dave had words with him, Henry wouldn't be moved. Giving up, she decided to see if she could reintroduce it to him at a later date.

That later date came about that afternoon Henry had spent with Saxon. She'd seen them playing with an iPod and music from afar, and had thought nothing of it, until Henry came bursting into the kitchen and declared that he wanted hearing aids. He wanted to hear the music just like Sax could.

Cautious at getting his hopes up that he would be able to hear music perfectly, but nonetheless thrilled that he wanted to try and hear something, JJ made an appointment with the audiologist and within four weeks the new hearing aids had arrived.

It was a struggle for poor Henry as he found himself suddenly in a world of noise that had never existed before. But he wanted so desperately to hear and understand music that he listened to his Mum and Dave explain to him what each noise was around him. That's a door slamming. That's a knife on the cutting board. That's the TV. That's Mummy's laugh. That's your feet on the ground. That's the dishwasher.

JJ wondered if this was too much for him, but Dave encouraged her not to give up. This was what Henry wanted. When Dave put on some music, the look on Henry's face when he heard it for the first time was such a pure, innocent look of joy that JJ couldn't help but draw her son into a hug at this momentous occasion.

Whilst he didn't wear his hearing aids all the time from that day on, more often than not, JJ could find him in his bedroom with them on listening to the same music tracks again and again and again. And when Saxon came over, JJ knew they'd be holed up in Henry's room listening and learning new music. Henry learnt one song at a time, and refused to learn new songs until he knew each song off by heart.

It must have been a year or so later when JJ saw just how much Henry had been learning and practicing music. At a team barbeque, the ever entertaining Saxon declared that he and Henry would be putting on a show. They'd cranked up the music high, created a makeshift stage out on the wooden deck and the pair of them had proceeded to sign and sing a song.

Henry's knowledge of the song, his lip syncing, timing and animation was spot on, and everyone stood in awe as this pint sized duo performed – no, entertained – for them. JJ couldn't help blinking back a few tears as her little boy stood confidently performing on the stage, his whole face coming alive. Dave was seated a little ways over and when they all stood to applaud the performance, she caught his eye as both shared a look of pride.

Sax and Henry took their bows together as they both grinned at everyone, though Henry felt a little overwhelmed at the attention that was suddenly focused on him. The bond between Saxon Hotchner and Henry Jareau had always been strong, but this love and passion for music added a whole other layer to their friendship.

**************

Another year passed, and Henry's school was visited by a professional deaf theatre group, Henry didn't move as he sat with his classmates in the assembly hall, eyes glued to the stage as the actors performed in front of him. It was then and there that he decided that this was what he wanted to do. Maybe not the acting part so much, but he wanted to sign songs and dance and perform.

Henry was a quiet child at school, but when he put his hand up to perform in the Christmas Concert that year, staff and students alike were amazed and questioned at where this bright, entertaining, charismatic person had come from.

But the biggest 'show' of Henry's young life to date came in high school when the annual school performance was a tribute to 'Stars of the Ages'. Lexi Hotchner had showed fourteen year old Henry the video clip of Michael Jackson's Thriller once and he'd been mesmerised. Michael Jackson's songs and dance moves were something that Henry had always admired and aspired to.

Henry was determined that he was going to be in the Michael Jackson 'Thriller' segment of the school production, and so David Rossi, currently at home on a three week medical leave with injuries post-case, enjoyed the pleasure of listening to the soundtrack of Thriller played again and again and again, and watched the music video of Thriller again and again and again as Henry practiced and practiced his dance movements and lip syncing.

It had actually reached the point where Dave rang Emily Hotchner in pain and asked her why her daughter had though it would be a brilliant idea to introduce Henry to Thriller. 'Hey it's not much better over here,' objected Emily. 'I've got three music loving kids, so there's not a quiet moment in this house either.'

'But at least you've got variety,' muttered Rossi under his breath. 'I've got a constant Thriller ream in my head 24/7.' Emily laughed as she offered no sympathy.

When Henry got the part as Michael Jackson for the 'Thriller', Dave's realisation that he would now have to listen to Thriller constantly until showtime was overridden by his joy that Henry had gotten his dream part.

At the very least, Henry had been hoping to be picked as a dancer in the Thriller dance sequence. He knew that the fact he couldn't sing was going to be held against him, and would probably cost him the opportunity to actually _be _Michael Jackson. But as fate had it, Zachary Devon, the boy with _the _Michael Jackson voice, also happened to be one of the most uncoordinated dancers ever. And so the role of Michael Jackson was split between Zach as the voice and Henry as the dancer, lip syncing.

The Michael Jackson 'Thriller' segment was to a standing ovation on the opening night of 'Stars of the Ages'.


	12. August 2011

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

**************

**August 2011:**

When two and a half year old Henry Jareau develops a slight fever in the FBI day care and won't stop crying, day care worker Imogen Elwys makes the call to Agent Jennifer Jareau.

When repeated attempts at calling Agent Jareau's office phone, and then her mobile phone, end with voice messages or the call ringing out, Imogen turns to the emergency contact.

Entering the numbers, she put through a call to David Rossi. She didn't have time to wait or hope that Agent Jareau would be back in range of her cell phone or the office soon.

Sitting at his desk filling out paperwork, Special Agent Rossi answered his mobile with a curt 'Rossi speaking.'

'Mr Rossi? This is Imogen Elwys from the FBI daycare. We are unable to contact Henry Jareau's mother and you are listed as the emergency contact.'

'Yes that is correct. Agent Jareau is currently out mobile range at the moment,' explained Rossi. 'Is there something wrong with Henry?' he questioned anxiously.

'He is running a slight fever and won't be settled,' said Imogen. 'He's crying alot and I believe it is best that someone comes and picks him up.'

'I'll be there in five minutes,' promises Rossi, already standing up from his desk to reach for his badge. 'I'll see you soon Ms Elwys.'

Shutting his door, he walked down the stairs and rapidly crossed the near-empty bull pen on his way to the elevator. Hotch, Morgan and JJ were at a prison for the afternoon, whilst Reid was downstairs working with Garcia on something or other.

Stepping out of the elevator, Rossi flashes his credentials to the receptionist and signs the daycare logbook. After careful scrutiny, he is permitted out the back, and guided to the toddler room. Moving through the children playing on the mat, he moves into the sleeping room.

Entering the room, he spots Henry standing up in his cot, pulling on the bars as tears run down his cheeks. And when he spots Dave, he cries even harder, stretching his arms up to be held, signing 'Dave! Dave!'

The daycare worker standing next to the bed looks up at Henry's movements. 'David Rossi? Imogen Elwys,' she said. Nodding, Rossi moves past her as he reaches for the little boy. Pulling him into his arms, he rests him close against his chest as Henry continues to whimper.

Signing him out of daycare, Rossi carries his whiny bundle upstairs and spends the next hour pacing his office as Henry refuses to settle. After administering children's pain relieving medicine, Henry's crying abates slightly and he dozes lightly against Rossi's chest.

But when Rossi made a move to place him on the lounge to sleep, he starts screaming loudly, maintaining a death grip on Rossi. And so the next half an hour is filled by constant pacing of the office, Henry on his chest.

When Henry begins to doze once again, Rossi edges his way down onto his couch, this time keeping Henry in his grip the whole time. Henry doesn't settle completely until a further half an hour of back rubs from Rossi.

**************

Three hours after Special Agent David Rossi had picked up her son, Agent Jennifer Jareau was back in cell phone range and accessed her several voice messages.

Hurrying to Rossi's office, JJ stops at the door as she takes in the sight before her: Rossi is sleeping on his couch, Henry sound asleep against his chest, as his hand rests firmly on his back, preventing the baby from falling. A few folders are scattered, some on the couch and some on the floor, and Rossi's reading glasses are perched awkwardly on his nose.

Stepping into the office, JJ gathered up a few files as she made her way over to her son and the man who'd weaved his way into her life and become such a vital part of it. Sitting on the edge of the couch, she threads her hand through Rossi's hair. _What would she do without this man?_

When Rossi opens his eyes and looks around, momentarily disorientated, JJ smiles at him. 'Hey,' she said in a soft voice. 'Hey yourself,' he responded, careful not to disturb the bundle in his arms as he sat up. 'He's all yours.'

The next two nights are hell for JJ (and Rossi when he was able to) as Henry battles a fever and cries constantly.


End file.
